


Soft and Sweet in this Shadow I Made for You

by insufficient_fishes



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/M, If spelling mistakes do feature point them out and i'll add them as characters, Jyn Erso-centric, Jyn is a badass, Rogue One Spoilers, no beta all alpha, not much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:27:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23637535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insufficient_fishes/pseuds/insufficient_fishes
Summary: A short rewrite of the soul crushing end scene, to make the hard times nicer....The smoke from the wreckage of the base began to smother everything, and to her relief, when she slammed the elevator button, the doors opened right away. Carefully, she guided Cassian inside. He sank against the corner with a sigh, but the sudden shifting of his weight unbalanced her. She stumbled backwards, causing her injured leg to buckle and she swore viciously. Cassian grabbed her arm, steadying her against the pain. Behind them, the elevator doors slammed shut. Darkness settled.“Alright?”“Yeah, bit of a rough day.” They fell quiet, the enormity of what they’d accomplished slowly sinking in. White light strafed across his face as they descended. Slowly, he guided her arm over his shoulder. She leaned in....
Relationships: Cassian Andor/Jyn Erso
Kudos: 17





	Soft and Sweet in this Shadow I Made for You

She dragged herself through the bitter brink of pain, her face twisted and hard as steel. She would not bend. She would not break. With splayed and shaking fingers, trembling elbows and ruined thigh, she pulled herself upright. The ramp wavered, a solitary beam straining to keep everything attached. Below a grim height waited. She just had to make it to the console. Five steps, that was it. She planted a foot, it buckled. Come on! K2 was little but scrap metal now and Cassian was... If she couldn’t handle a little pain it would have been all for nothing. She set her shoulders and moved, four steps, three. She was almost off the bridge. Something shifted in the shadows of the platform. No! It was almost over. Then Krennic stalked out of the haze, pale and snapping, like some malevolent white wolf. She froze. 

“Who are you?” Krennic snarled. His blaster lifted to point right between her eyes. Who was she? Soon it wouldn’t matter. 

“You know who I am.” She wavered back a step, she just wanted to stop. Krennic stared her down, icy blue eyes pinning her, searching. She didn’t have any ideas left. The end of the road loomed. She stalled. “I’m Jyn Erso.” Krennic’s eyes widened, only a fraction, but it sent a vicious thrill sparking through her. “Daughter of Galen and Lyra.” His brows lowered; mouth slackened. She pressed harder. “You’ve lost.” Make him feel the same defeat that was burning in her right now, and maybe she could die happy.

“Oh, I have, have I?” 

“My father’s revenge. He built a flaw in the middle of the death star.” His lip curled, a cornered dog. “He put a fuse in the middle of your machine,” she let all the hate coiled in her turn her eyes cold, “and I’ve just told the entire galaxy how to light it.” 

“The shield is up.” Krennic sneered. “Your signal will never reach the rebel base.” He shook his head, a smile curling across his face. “All your ships in the air will be destroyed” his hand tightened on the blaster, “I lose nothing, but time.” His eyes scanned her wildly, his voice growing frenzied. “You, on the other hand, die with the rebellion.” She didn’t move. Didn’t react. The longer he talked, the longer she lived. But then he smiled again, relaxing. There we go. Her number was up.

Bang! Jyn ducked, but the bullet was already speeding directly into – Krennic clutched his chest and collapsed to the ground. A white heap on the metal. What? With a heartbeat pulsing in her ears that she newly appreciated, Jyn scanned the deck. 

Cassian leaned against a pillar, battered and panting. His blaster trained on Krennic. He looked like he’d climbed up from hell. She ducked her head, relief that he was alive – that she was alive – sending her giddy. Cassian just watched her; his head slumped back. The message! She raced to the console, slamming into it in her haste, and pulled the lever. The screen pulsed, paused, then began to load. She waited, unmoving. 

“Transmitting.” A female voice said. “Transmitting.” Jyn bent over the panel, scarcely able to believe it. She glanced over at Cassian, relief easing her jaw. He was alive. She limped over to him, could he really be there? Could he really be okay? Cassian kept his blaster trained firmly on Krennic however, and her grin faded. Krennic, that man had ripped apart her family. Killed her mother, enslaved her father. She wanted to tear him apart. Oh, if he was still alive – she would make him beg for death. Jyn lunged for him, all pain forgotten. She would ruin him. A tortured growl dragged from her throat as she was pulled up short. A firm hand locked around her arm. Cassian.

“Hey!” He hauled her back against him, adjusting so he had an iron grip on her shoulder. “Leave him!” His voice was rough as she fought against him. He pulled her harder. “Leave him.” She didn’t want to listen, she wanted to make that pile of filth squeal. “That’s it,” Cassian said softly, gaze never leaving her. She loosed a breath, a little of her rage flaking off as Cassian squeezed her shoulder. He was here. “That’s it.” Jyn focused on the floor as she slumped back into him, panting. Cassian watched intently as her brow softened, lowering his head slightly. “Let’s go.” He whispered, breath ruffling her ear. She took a second longer, readying herself, then nodded. Gingerly – Cassian pushed off the concrete, groaning and holding a hand to his spine. Jyn slipped a hand around his waist and he draped one arm over her shoulder. She clung to his wrist, grunting at the added weight on her bad leg. Together they made their slow way to the elevator.

“D’you think,” Cassian asked, as they limped, “that anybody’s listening?” His eyes fixed on her as she thought.

“I do.” He grinned a little at that, and she smiled back. “Someone’s out there.” They had pulled through, their mission was complete. Force be willing, there was someone ready to pick up the torch. The smoke from the wreckage of the base began to smother everything, and to her relief, when she slammed the elevator button, the doors opened right away. Carefully, she guided Cassian inside. He sank against the corner with a sigh, but the sudden shifting of his weight unbalanced her. She stumbled backwards, causing her injured leg to buckle and she swore viciously. Cassian grabbed her arm, steadying her against the pain. Behind them, the elevator doors slammed shut. Darkness settled.

“Alright?” 

“Yeah, bit of a rough day.” They fell quiet, the enormity of what they’d accomplished slowly sinking in. White light strafed across his face as they descended. Slowly, he guided her arm over his shoulder. She leaned in; his arm snaked about her waist. She stared at him, fascinated by how the brief washes of light seemed to turn his eyes liquid. His head bent down slightly toward her. She smiled at him, with the creased eyes and the teeth and everything. Cassian’s breath hitched. His eyes traced along her jaw, her nose, her lips. He was alive. He was here, and he was alive. Wonder at this fact had her rising on her toes, tilting her head back, curving towards him like a question. And his answer was slow and just as careful. One hand spread against her back, pushing her close. Thigh to thigh and chest to chest. His head dipping further, nose brushing hers, leaning in, taking on her weight as her leg began to shake. Other hand cupping her jaw, and ever so gently, lips on hers as his hand pressed against the back of her neck, into her hair. Heat bloomed as she leaned in further. The knowledge that there was another person before her, actively wanting and touching her, that it was Cassian – of all people. Cassian, with his watchful eyes and coiled tension. That this quiet, jackknife of a man was pulling her close, was interested in her… He pulled back. His lips were reddened, eyes crinkling as he looked at her, as he drew a deep, deep breath. He looked at her as if he had all the time in the world. Jyn rested her head against the wall and laughed, feeling as if all the oxygen she would ever need had been stolen clean out of her body. His hand traced down her neck, grasping her shoulder. He tucked her against him, and they rested together, his lips pressed in her hair, both fighting back the boneless fatigue in their dark little corner. They’d get out of all this mess, Jyn swore. Really soon. 

They stumbled past bodies and burned husks of discarded shuttles, pushing tirelessly onto the charred and empty beach. Jyn barreled on, head down, gasping against the pain in her thigh. Maybe somewhere on this damn island, they could find a working ship. If any of the others were still alive, they would find them. Maybe they could get the hell out of here, find somewhere green and wet. Somewhere they could be safe. Waves were lapping at her boots now, a cold shock to the system as the water seeped in. Jyn felt Cassian stiffen beside her. She looked up. Golden sunlight shimmered on a glassy sea. Soft clouds glowed in evening splendour, and between the beauty… A vast mushroom cloud spread in a luminescent orb. Splitting apart sea and sky, she couldn’t look away. Nothing in her life had ever made sense like this. Her throat closed up, and she forced down the weak little whimper that threatened within her. Cassian bowed his head, his whole frame stooped, almost frail. She helped him down, onto the sand. He leaned on an arm, those dark eyes of his fixed on the destruction looming closer. She sat back. It’d be useless to run, but this finality burned with vicious, bitter fire. Cassian shook his head slowly, looked over to her. 

“Your father would have been proud of you Jyn.” He said, voice ragged and quiet. Jyn nodded, meeting his gaze, letting her face soften. She’d thought she was done, that after that message fired off into cold heaven, she would just… stop. But now, now that she’d found something worth holding on too… She reached for his hand. He caught it firmly. They looked out again, to where the horizon was closing up. Jyn was shaking. Fear of a cold and sudden death overwhelming her. Cassian pulled her into his chest one final time. They rose to their knees, ignoring the pain, the trembling muscles. Jyn buried her face into him, the safe darkness he provided soothing her. They clung to each other, solid as houses, breathing as living vibrant people. There was nothing they could do. His arms tightened around her, soft lips traced her ear. Jyn wanted to run, wanted to howl and rage and curl up somewhere safe like some petrified animal. It was only Cassian that kept her brave, that kept her eyes open. She held on tight, didn’t dare crumble. For him, she stayed. 

There was something like grace there, on that doomed beach. Two terrified, drained, little people accepting a tough hand uncomplaining. Jyn kept her eyes open, for she would witness this. The world vanished around her now, but she kept her eyes open against the terror and the storm and she never let go. Not even when the world went white.

...

“You make it sound so hopeless.” Cassian mused. Jyn shook her head. “So final.” Cassian laughed, low and easy, relaxing completely back into the grass as he put down the sheaf of papers.

“It was final though,” Jyn said, eyes solemn despite her smile. “It really seemed like the end.” She regarded the sheets with unease.

“I’m proud of you sunshine, for getting it all down.” Jyn turned her face to the sky, languishing in the golden afternoon.

“But now what? I’ve finished everything.” She fiddled with a blade of grass, breathing in the summer bursting around her. Cassian moved over to her, draping long arms over her shoulders and nuzzling her neck. 

“Now, you can just live.” He pressed a kiss to her jaw. “Do whatever you want.” His lips drifted to the corner of her mouth. “Though,” he whispered, “I’d prefer that you do it with me.” Jyn turned to look at him, raising a cool eyebrow as she fought the curl in her upper lip.

“Would you now?” She leaned back against the solid bulk of him. “Perhaps we can work something out.” She’d never seen Cassian at such ease before. He was fully himself, brimming with vitality and that easy languor of someone who had no intention of being anywhere else. 

“Perhaps?” Cassian murmured, his arms tightening around her waist. “I don’t think that’s good enough for me.” His head dipped, lips on hers, tongue warm and gently asking…

“Hmmm…” She broke off the kiss and turned. Cassian frowned. “What do you think about beekeeping?” 

“What?” Cassian dropped his gaze to her lips. “I’m sure if you ask me later, I’ll have some opinions formulated.” Jyn pursed her lips, shoulders locking up.

“How is it so easy for you to just slip into this life?” 

Cassian hummed thoughtfully. “Because I believe I deserve it. Or… I want to deserve it. The universe has handed me a lot of shit, so maybe it’s making up for all that now.” Jyn raised a hand and stroked down his cheek, feeling the edge of his smile against her fingertips.

“I think you deserve to be happy.” 

“And I am. Even though you’re here. Incredible isn't it?” Jyn froze. Jyn thought. Jyn turned.

“Cassian?” 

“Mhm?” 

“Sometimes you’re an ass.” Cassian cocked his head.

“Careful gorgeous, words have power.” He ran a hand down her thigh. “Don’t worry about what’s next. It’ll come to you eventually.” Jyn’s gaze wandered around the little garden.

“What do you have planned?”

“I have a few ideas.” Cassian’s breath was hot on her neck, and when she turned to look at him, his eyes were hooded. “But I would need a partner for most of them.” Jyn raised her eyebrow again. Truly a powerful skill.

“Most?” Cassian blushed then; cheeks stained pink.

He cleared his throat and looked to the ground. Jyn finally allowed herself a big smile.

“Come on then, you poor clod.” She stood, pulling him up and heading in the direction to the little cottage. “I may have a few ideas of my own.” They’d never been the type for handholding, but Cassian wasn’t at all subtle with his arm slung about her waist. They paused before the open door, as Cassian glanced back out at the garden, then to the sheaf of papers he had clutched under his arm. 

“You’re certain it’s finished? What about how we survived?” His eyes were suddenly old, sad. Jyn met his gaze steadily. She sighed softly

“Maybe we didn’t.” They hovered there, in their gold dappled paradise. Whatever the future would be, she was certain of one thing. She loved that man, so much she’d burn for him, again and again. “Maybe it doesn’t matter.” They stepped into the home and the door swung shut behind them.


End file.
